1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a creature transporting container, and in particular, to a container that can transport an individual living thing such as a fighting fish safely and inexpensively.
2. Description of the Related Art
An aquarium fish tank is frequently provided in a house or in an office to display fish such as tropical fish or the like in order to obtain a pleasant living space or work environment. The aquarium fish generally are distributed through a distribution channel from an importer or trader via a retail store to consumers.
Conventionally, in transporting these aquarium fish, the following transportation method has been carried out. The predetermined number of aquarium fish are put together with the proper amount of water into a bag made of a synthetic resin such as a vinyl bag. The mouth of the bag is closed with air or oxygen blown therein, and the bag is put into a corrugated carton or the like for transporting.
On the other hand, recently, in accordance with a variety of interests, it is desirable to breed fighting fish, for example, a betta (known officially as betta splendens aka Siamese Fighting Fish), as an aquarium fish. However, when two or more fighting fish are put into the same aquarium fish tank, these fighting fish attack each other in accordance with their nature. As a result, conventional transporting methods can result in the death of most of the fighting fish during their transportation. Thus, these fighting fish must be put individually into a bag, which is then closed with air or oxygen blown therein, and the bags are put into a corrugated carton for transporting in accordance with the conventional method. Alternatively, the fighting fish must be put individually into a plastic container such as a polyethylene container and be sealed watertight with a cap for transporting them. These methods are very troublesome and result in high transportation costs. Further, when using a watertight container, the creature in the container may be suffocated unless the cap is opened immediately upon arrival at their destination.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a creature-transporting container that can safely and inexpensively transport individual fighting fish.
The inventors have studied the above mentioned problems and have incorporated a material which is permeable to air but impermeable to water (hereinafter referred to as an air permeable waterproof material). When the fighting fish is put into a cup-like container together with water, and the mouth of the cup-like container is covered with the air permeable waterproof sheet, the transporting container can readily subdivide and transport the fighting fish individually thereby preventing them from harming one another. In addition, the transporting container according to the present invention is applicable to breeding of fighting fish and is applicable to transportation and breeding of creatures such as other fishes, insects and frogs requiring water and air.
The present invention provides a creature transporting container which is suitable for transporting a creature requiring water and air, comprising:
a container having an upper opening portion, wherein the creature to be transported may be put in together with a proper amount of water required for its existence;
an air permeable waterproof sheet which covers the upper opening portion of the container; and
a removable cap for holding the air permeable waterproof sheet on the container, and which permits air to contact the air permeable waterproof sheet.
It is one of the features of the present invention that the air permeable waterproof sheet is used to cover and close the opening portion of the container. Therefore, even if the container with the cap attached thereto is inverted, an overflow or outflow of water does not occur. Further, there is no need to carry out the task of blowing oxygen or air into the bag as with conventional methods so that efficiency is improved and costs are lowered.
The air permeable waterproof sheet is made of a material which is air permeable but is not water permeable. More specifically, it is preferable to use a melt blown, non-woven fabric which is water repellent and made of a synthetic resin fiber of 0.02 to 0.06 denier. A melt blown, non-woven fabric made of a synthetic resin fiber of less than 0.02 denier lacks the proper air permeability. On the other hand, a melt blown, non-woven fabric made of a synthetic resin fiber exceeding 0.06 denier does not have sufficient waterproofing performance.
There is the possibility that the creature transport container falls down or turns upside down resulting from any number of factors such as vehicle vibration during transportation. Accordingly, it is desirable that the air permeable waterproof sheet is durable to hydraulic pressure created when the creature transporting container is inverted. Thus, it is preferable that the melt blown, non-woven fabric has a weight of 5 g to 50 g per 1 m2. If the weight of the fabric is 5 g or more per 1 m2, it is durable to a hydraulic head pressure of 10 cm. However, if the weight exceeds 5 g per 1 m2, there is the possibility that the sheet lacks the proper permeability.
The air permeable waterproof sheet preferably has a permeability of 10 cc/cm2-sec or more to supply sufficient air required for the survival of the creature. The permeability value of 10 cc/cm2-sec is measured by a Frazile type air permeability test (JIS L1096).
The melt blown, non-woven fabric may be made of a synthetic resin fiber, for example, a polypropylene fiber or other synthetic resin fibers.
When the diameter of a synthetic resin fiber becomes smaller or when the weight per 1 m2 of the melt blown, non-woven fabric becomes smaller, the sheet strength is lowered. In this case, reinforcement is preferable, and can be achieved by laminating a reinforcing sheet on either the surface side or the underside of the melt blown, non-woven fabric. The reinforcing sheet may be made of any material so long as it does not hinder the function of the melt blown, non-woven fabric. For example, a spun-bounded, non-woven fabric, woven fabric, paper and the like may preferably be used as the reinforcing sheet. How ever, the sheet may be made of any other suitable material. When using the spun-bounded, non-woven fabric sheet, it can be made of a polyester fiber preferably 2 to 5 denier.
The cap may be fitted or screwed onto the container so long as the air permeable waterproof sheet is held on the upper opening portion of the container. It is important that the cap has a structure that permits air to contact the air permeable waterproof sheet. If the cap has an airtight structure, air can not be supplied into the container via the air permeable waterproof sheet. As a result, the creature in the container may die.
More specifically, the cap is formed with one or a plurality of through holes. Preferably, the through holes have a size such that a human finger can not fit therein because there is the possibility that the air permeable waterproof sheet will be punctured or torn by mistake.
Further, so long as the air permeable waterproof sheet is held on the upper opening portion of the container, the cap may be used independently from the air permeable waterproof sheet and may be attached onto the container after covering the sheet on the upper opening portion of the container. Alternatively, the cap previously held with the air permeable waterproof sheet may be attached onto the container while the air permeable waterproof sheet covers the upper opening portion of the container.
The cap of the present invention is preferably a removable type. Thus, the cap can be removed from the container to feed the creature in the container. As a result, it is possible to maintain the creature put in the container. Accordingly, in a retail store, there is no need to separately prepare an aquarium fish tank or like case, and the transporting container may be placed on a shelf as it is. Also, consumers may buy and bring the transporting container with a creature put therein back to their home, and may house the creature using the transporting container.
In-keeping an aquarium fish, it is preferable that all or part of the container is transparent or semi-transparent. The container may be made of a synthetic resin material or glass material. The creature transporting container according to the present invention may be applied to a fighting fish such as a betta, and is applicable to other fishes, insects, frogs or the like. Furthermore, since the air permeable waterproof sheet is permeable to air and not permeable to water, it is possible to keep moisture in the container. Accordingly the creature transporting container according to the present invention is applicable to transportation or housing aquatic vegetation implanted into an aquarium fish tank.
When a transporting bag is made of the air permeable waterproof sheet, it is possible to improve transportability and workability as when just the opening portion of the container has been covered with the air permeable waterproof sheet.
That is, the present invention further provides a creature transporting bag which is suitable for transporting a creature requiring water and air, wherein the bag comprises an air permeable waterproof sheet which is permeable to air and not permeable to water, wherein the creature to be transported is put into the bag together with a proper amount of water required for its existence and a mouth of the bag is closed.
The mouth of the bag may be closed by any suitable means. When the mouth of the bag is closed using heat seal, it is possible to further improve workability.